Manager Slaven Bilic remains relaxed over his striking options as the search continues for a new striker.
The manager “has a couple of options” in mind and is confident that a loan signing will have been brought in for the start of the new season.
And despite reports that Andy Carroll may not return until October, ClaretandHugh has learned the payer himself still believes he can make a September comeback.
We were told: “Despite the clamour for a new face on the striking front, the manager will pursue a couple of options and as is always the way, will report back to the board for them to start negotiations.
“At this stage there is no panic and he remains relaxed as Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia will both be ready and Andy is becoming more confident of a September return.
“We have always favoured a loan striker and the search goes on – we will be fine by the start of the season.”
Yeah we have had some cracking loan strikers over the years we have bought to the club at the last minute,lol.Guess Carlton will be on his way back the day after the window closes 😉
Big mistake. Any loan striker will be surplus to another team’s requirements. Waste of time and money. We need to sign another proven goal scorer. It has been known for our strikers to get injured!
Ffs,have the board learnt nothing from the last two seasons when we have had no strikers.So we will go into the season with Diafra with a suspect back,Enner who cant hit a cows arse with a banjo & NHS Carroll.Plus some no mark loan from peru probably,lol.Lets make it a hat-trick of seasons with no strikers by Jan.Good plan 😉
There is loan and then there is loan, previous years have not suggested that we will gain anything of the quality we ideally need, considering Sakho was bought as a punt which may or may not work in the second season (he had better) and has a suspect back even if he does, Valencia is totally unproven and Carroll is a fitness nightmare. As we saw after Christmas no matter what things look like on paper, if you can’t put an effect striker out on the pitch nor have midfielders who can score regularly you are playing very ineffectively to put it mildly and confidence will evaporate no matter how much pretty football you play.
Great and funny comment billy but unfortunately to bloody true.
We’ve got some good midfielders and defenders and f all upfront.
We couldn’t even score against the last Malteasers
Pretty sure that this Carroll mess has made the board loathe to pay out big for another striker.They dont want their arses slapped a second time.Still,lets wait & see.Do agree though,if we end up with the same scenario as the last two seasons it will be a joke.Im afraid i have absolutely no faith in Carroll.It is just foolhardy to believe you can rely on him for an length of time.You can have all the attacking midfielders in the world.They are still no substitute for quality strikers which we are 100% short of!
I hate getting forwards in on loan.Most of them aint good enough for their own teams,hence the loan.Others are ****ed off & just come for the bucks.Very few actually come to prove themselves in the league & to put themselves in the shop window.Carroll was one of the few exceptions to the rule & look who the muppets were who signed him,lol.Loan strikers stink!!
Personally I am looking forward to see how Carroll performs under Billic.
With Allardyce in charge he was basically told to run around and jump like a horse. No wonder his ankles and knees couldn’t hold up, I know mine wouldn’t. Maybe with Billic’s new playing style he could have an extended run in the team and prove us all wrong?
Also, if the board play the waiting game and we end up getting Hernandez permanently (or even on loan) I’d feel like they did the right thing.
Finally, correct me if I’m wrong as I haven’t been able to watch many of our preseason games so far, but hasn’t Billic been playing one up front? in which case do we need another striker so desperately?
Bilic does play one upfront but after Sakho who do we have.
We need to get a good lead on Thursday night because the return is 3 days before Gooners.
So who will be the one upfront on Thursday.
Fair point, I was thinking more for the season ahead. And as I said, if we end up getting Hernandez last minute then the board has done the right thing.
Admittedly that’s a big IF though
Yeah we have been playing one upfront.Thats why we have been slamming the goals in for fun,lol.Sorry but i have no faith in Carrolls body,even if we play differently he is still going to be throwing himself around for crosses or attempts at goal.That aint going to change his glass body 😉
Hopefully we wont be relying too much on 100 crosses per game then! Just trying to be positive I guess
I’m all up for a short term loan (3 months) if any good extend it to a season, if not, get rid and get another striker (either permanent or another loan) in January
We have already seen this season what we are like without Sakho & Carroll.Getting some unwanted loanee from another club aint worth squat.We will just get another Chamakh,Mido or Franco.Total waste of time!
Wellington Paulista .. or was it Paulista Wellington .. anyway maybe he’s available
He might be considering playing Lanzini in a Thierry Henry style forward position, his goal scoring record is not that amazing but there are certain similarities in the way he attacks to suggest he could be used in that role if he can improve his finishing. Also don’t forget Samuelson as a reserve he plays more like a Chris Sutton / Teddy Sheringham so he could play a role as a second striker / offensive midfielder. I can’t remember the last time there was this much optimism and speculation about us and how we might play anyone else feel the same ?